Las Vegas: Travel tips for the 2009 World Series of Poker

Summer is nearly upon us in Las Vegas, and that doesn’t just mean  temperatures that exceed 110 degrees — it also means it’s time for the World Series of Poker. For non-poker players, this is the Superbowl of poker. Some poker players plan their trek to the Rio, where the WSOP is held, for months. Others just nip in to ogle the professional poker players they’ve seen on TV, such as Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Chris Moneymaker, Chris Ferguson, Phil Gordon, Annie Duke, Scotty Nguyen and more. The good news is that the World Series of Poker lasts for seven weeks. So even if you are traveling to Vegas for a convention or a weekend getaway, you can stop by the Rio to hear thousands of poker players in one room, all vying for the coveted gold WSOP bracelet.

World Series of Poker Travel Tips

Where to stay — Harrah’s has hotel deals with special rates for WSOP players. These rates are good across the Harrah’s family of hotels and can be accessed at the WSOP website. Most Harrah’s properties run a shuttle to the Rio during the WSOP, which may save you some walking and the cost of a cab. The Palms and Palms Place are across the street and in close proximity.

If you want to play — There are 57 different types of poker events to choose from, including No-Limit Texas Holdem like you see on ESPN or GSN, as well as games you might never have heard of, such as Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball. Given the tough economic times, the WSOP has scheduled its “stimulus special,” a No Limit Hold Em tournament that kicks off Saturday, May 30. The buy-in for this event is  $1,000. Although that may not sound like much of a deal to some, that is actually the lowest open field event buy-in the WSOP has had in at least a decade. There are plenty of women in the room and the Ladies No-Limit Texas Holdem World Championship event takes place June 7 with a $1,000 buy-in. The main event is the granddaddy that everyone is waiting for. The World Championship Texas Holdem Event ($10,000 buy-in)  begins on July 3 and lasts for 13 days. Here is the full schedule of WSOP events.

When — Registration, cash games and satellites (playing smaller games with less money to win tournament chips that you can use in the pricier events) began today. Thursday, May 28, is the big opening day, and events will continue until July 15. The final table will play out in November when one final World Series of Poker No-Limit Texas Holdem World Champion will be crowned.

To register — You’ll need a Harrah’s total rewards card to register for the series, which you can get at the total rewards desk at any Harrah’s property or in the Rio convention center. You can actually register for the WSOP events online (up to 14 days in advance), though online registration for the stimulus special is long closed.

Seeing poker celebrities — If you’re just interested in going to the Rio to watch the action,  May 28 will be a great time as the commemorative 40th-anniversary, $40,000 No Limit Hold Em kicks off at noon. This event will surely bring out the biggest names in poker, and they will all be within arm’s length in the Amazon Room. Players go on dinner break most days around 7 p.m., which means you should eat dinner before or after that time, as the restaurants get very crowded during this time. Dinner break also offers a great chance to see some of the game’s greats, who  often can be found at Buzio’s Seafood, or Gaylord, the fabulous Indian restaurant at the Rio. Pros with less time will often amble over to the Sao Paulo Café, which is a little closer to the convention center.

Getting there — Whether you are driving to Las Vegas or catching a cab from the airport, park or get dropped off in the back, by the Rio convention center off of Twain Avenue. From the farthest point of the front door of the Rio, it can be up to a 15-minute walk for some to get back to the Amazon Room of the convention center, where the series is played.

– Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger

[Photo: Ethan Miller / Getty Images]

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 1:47 pm by Jen Leo and is filed under Celebrity, Las Vegas, Last Minute, News, Tips & Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.